Year 5 sats tests - do they matter ?

[traceyinrosso]

I reckon to not being hung up about sats but my son at end of year 5 dropped a level in his literacy from the start of the year after a year of standing still previously too. He is bright enough - not a high flyer but perfectly capable - and am made to feel at school like I am making a fuss. Because he is getting level 4 (low level 4) they don't seem bothered because he won't count as a failure but he could do so much better. Am considering asking a retired teacher friend for private coaching - not for the sats results primarily but feel he is drifting and don't want him to continue like this into secondary school. Any thoughts ? Should I be more assertive at school? Is the private tuition a good idea? Think problem may be his elder sister recently left school who was classed as gifted and talented and think teachers think I want him to achieve the same which isn't true just want him to achieve his best. Any advice welcome.

But if he got a low level 4 (which I'm assuming is a level 4c, then isn't he on target to achieve a level 5c at yr6?

Sorry, someone who knows more about the levels will come along soon I hope.....

In what way will he "fail" his SATS if he gets a level 4?

Remember no employer is ever going to look at those results; noone is ever going to be interested.

The one time they may take an interest is when they set him in Year 7- but remember the ability groups are not set in stone; if he is more capable than his SATS suggest then they will move him up later in the year. He's still got years before his GCSEs.

If I were you, what would give me concern is if he is getting into lazy habits or losing confidence. If so, that may well affect his future even if the SATS don't.

But in that case I don't think tuition is necessarily the answer. I would look more at his general attitude; see if maybe there is an interest or a hobby he can develop that gets him reading and investigating things. Make sure he has a good motivation to keep reading. And that's got to be something better than the SATS .

What Cory said

There could be a whole range of things behind his 'slippage' - didn't gel with the teacher that year, a natural pause (some do learn in fits and starts), not being happy socially.

Does he feel he's slipping? Is he happy? Has he said he struggles? See if you can pinpoint any issues.

I'd make an appointment with his current teacher to discuss before going down the tuition route.

I really am not hung up on the sats results but am worried that he doesn't seem to be making progress and that the school don't seem worried that he is drifting. His teacher is nice enough but likes girls (not very helpful if you are a boy!) and apparently gives them the lions share of the attention(have heard this from other parents too so not just my son moaning). Unfortunately he has the same teacher this year as well as last because they have had a swap round who teaches which year. I can't even ask for him to moved into the other class because the other year 6 teacher is her husband!! My concern medium term is that he will end up in poor sets when he goes up to secondary school. He seems to be fine in numeracy but has always struggled with his handwriting and presentation and think this has knock on effect in his literacy. Anyone else with some ideas ?

You need to know the teacher assessment for Y5 - more important. If you find out he made no progress in Y5 from that, then that is a concern.